Russia Looks at China, Life Extensions to Soup Up Armament

• Russia looks to China [Izvestia / RIA] to get military components it won’t be able to buy from the West.

• Russia will be keeping [ITAR-TASS] its MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors in service for another 15 years. Their radar size and missile capacity makes them very useful against bombers and cruise missiles, and can give them a guiding role as part of larger aerial formations.

• While the USAF has been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to retire its A-10C close support jets, Russia is considering [RIA Novosti] restarting production of its Su-25/-39.

• Ukraine’s military is pressing on to try and wrestle control of Donetsk from pro-Russian rebels: NYT | The Guardian.